AiCatcher
A non-invasive machine
In 2018, even as the tiger census across India was underway, over 100 tigers were found dead. Electrocuted, poisoned, poached or strayed into highways and towns. These cases are not limited to tigers alone. Leopards, deer, elephants, pangolins, and other scheduled species have been threatened. Poaching, habitat loss, and conflict from human contact has strained our relationship with wildlife and we must design more inclusive responses to improve it. Aicatcher was inspired by conversations with researchers and conservationists on the field, whose experiences led to a system that supports their role as crucial influencers in the community. They currently depend on camera traps deployed in the forest to study wildlife. These research tools have become a critical part of understanding animal habitat, and population. Aicatcher uses Edge AI to reimagine the camera trap as a proactive monitoring aid.